CHIP MALAFRONTE: Branford's Mike Olt comes home to help the man who helped him most

Chip Malafronte, Register Sports Columnist

Published 12:00 am, Wednesday, January 23, 2013

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George Dummar, left, shares a laugh with Eddie Zanor 11, of Branford at a bowling fundraiser at AMF Circle Lanes in East Haven for the Dummar family in August. Dummar is battling brain cancer. (Arnold Gold/Register) less

George Dummar, left, shares a laugh with Eddie Zanor 11, of Branford at a bowling fundraiser at AMF Circle Lanes in East Haven for the Dummar family in August. Dummar is battling brain cancer. (Arnold ... more

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This is a 2012 photo of
Mike Olt of the Texas Rangers baseball team. This image reflects the Texas Rangers active roster as of Feb. 28, 2012 when this image was taken. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

This is a 2012 photo of
Mike Olt of the Texas Rangers baseball team. This image reflects the Texas Rangers active roster as of Feb. 28, 2012 when this image was taken. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS

CHIP MALAFRONTE: Branford's Mike Olt comes home to help the man who helped him most

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BRANFORD -- Mike Olt spent most of Tuesday night on a red-eye from Dallas, arriving home in the wee hours, bleary-eyed and bushed.

After a quick sleep, he was at a local banquet hall first thing in the morning. Armed with a bag of baseballs and a few Louisville Sluggers to be donated as raffle prizes, Olt was refreshed and ready to discuss his burgeoning major league career with the Texas Rangers, his beloved hometown of Branford and, most importantly, his old high school coach.

George Dummar is in the fight of his life. Nothing, especially a touch of jet lag, was going to keep Olt from the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce Sports Council's Hot Stove Breakfast at Bill Miller's Castle. Broadcaster George Grande and UConn baseball coach Jim Penders were also guest speakers. Proceeds from the event were earmarked to assist Dummar through his battle with brain cancer. To date, close to $75,000 has been raised.

"I told (the Rangers) I made a commitment and they were very understanding," Olt said. "He is a big reason I am where I am today. He did so much for me and the community. You can tell by the reaction of people how hard it is to hear that this is happening. But knowing George, and how he is, if anyone is going to beat this, it's him. To have the support of everyone in Branford is special. And he definitely deserves it all."

Dummar, unable to attend Wednesday's breakfast, recently decided he would step down as Branford baseball coach. Alex Palluzzi broke the news to the 100 or so in attendance. The cancer has stabilized, Palluzzi said, but severely weakened half of his body. Dummar would rather spend the spring watching his sons play college baseball. George III is a pitcher at Quinnipiac; Nick will be a regular at Hartford.

Jake Palluzzi, athletic director at Branford, said the resignation will be official shortly.

"He's hanging tough," Jake Palluzzi said. "But he knows he needs to be 100 percent to coach. Right now, he just won't be able to do it."

Olt, among those unaware of Dummar's decision to resign, spent the past two weeks working out in Arlington and making promotional appearances for the Rangers. He's been a popular topic of conversation in Texas, where he made his major league debut last August and enters the spring a candidate for the big club's Opening Day roster.

Texas' plan for Olt, if he remains in the organization, is also up in the air. Josh Hamilton was lost to free agency, so the Rangers signed veteran free agent Lance Berkman to bat third and DH. It triggered talk that Olt would likely begin the season at Triple-A to keep the team's prize power prospect taking regular at-bats against quality pitching rather than coming off the bench.

Olt does his best to avoid the distraction. It's nice to feel wanted, he says, but he's still a Ranger, albeit one without a defined position. He'll head to spring training in Arizona soon, where Texas will give him every opportunity to earn a roster spot. Adrian Beltre is locked in at third base. Olt is expected to compete with Mitch Moreland at first base and diversify his defensive skills in the outfield.

"Last year was huge, especially getting called up in August. I was able to figure some things out," Olt said. "This offseason I feel a whole lot better, especially knowing this year I'll be competing for a job rather than last year when I was just kind of there in big league camp knowing I'd be sent down. I'm excited for the challenge."

Olt's rise has been meteoric. Playing for Dummar at Branford, he was the top high school player in the state in 2007. Penders said Olt's decision to play at UConn rather than head to a warm-weather college program was instrumental in helping build the Huskies into a power. A first-round pick in 2010, Olt was Texas' minor league player of the year last summer after hitting .298 with 28 home runs and 82 RBIs in 95 games before getting the call to the majors.

On the verge of becoming an everyday major league player, Olt has forgotten neither his Branford roots nor his influential former coach. Last summer, he sent a treasure trove of memorabilia autographed by various members of the Rangers for a Dummar fundraiser. It's the least he can do, he says, though there is one more thing.

"I know he's going through a tough time, and I don't want to interrupt anything, but I'm going to head over there before spring training," Olt said. "I'm always thinking about him. I've got to wish him the best and tell him I'm praying for him."